Gigabit Ethernet port: Connect a router or modem to get on the Internet, or connect to another computer to transfer files without using Wi-Fi.

AC power cord: Pass the power cord through the hole in the stand, plug it into the power port on the back of your iMac, then plug the cord into a power outlet.

Power button: Press and hold for three seconds to turn your iMac on or off, or press to put it to sleep.

Work wirelessly

Using Bluetooth® technology, your iMac can connect wirelessly to devices such as the included Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Keyboard, and to optional devices like the Magic Trackpad 2, peripheral devices, wearable sport accessories, and others. Use the Bluetooth menu at the top of your screen to connect to, pair, and transfer information between your iMac and the device.

What’s included

To use your iMac, you need two accessories included in the box—the Magic Keyboard and the Magic Mouse 2.

Important: To begin using your Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse 2, simply make sure the on/off switches on both devices are on (green is visible). The devices connect to your iMac automatically.

Magic Keyboard: Your rechargeable Magic Keyboard is already paired with your iMac and is ready to use. If you ever need to charge or pair the keyboard again, connect it to your iMac using the included Lightning to USB cable.

To customize how your keyboard works, use the Keyboard pane of System Preferences. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click the buttons at the top to see the options available for keyboard, text, shortcuts, and input sources. Read on to learn what the function keys on the Magic Keyboard do.

Magic Mouse 2: Like the Magic Keyboard, your rechargeable Magic Mouse 2 is already paired with your iMac out of the box; you can use it anywhere within range of your computer. If you need to charge the Magic Mouse 2, or if you unpair it and need to pair it again, connect it to your iMac using the included Lightning to USB cable.

To customize your gestures, use the Mouse pane of System Preferences. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Mouse, then click the buttons at the top to see all the scrolling, clicking, swiping, and tapping options.

If you configured your iMac with the optional Magic Trackpad 2, it comes paired with your iMac and ready to use. If you purchased a Magic Trackpad 2 separately, connect it to your iMac with the included Lightning to USB cable to pair it automatically. Use this same cable to charge your trackpad as necessary, then unplug it to use in the location that works best for you.

Magic Trackpad 2, adapters, and other accessories are sold separately at apple.com or your local Apple Store. Be sure to review the product information on the Apple website, or on the accessory packaging, to make sure you choose the right product for your iMac.

Keyboard

The function keys on your Magic Keyboard provide shortcuts for common functions, such as increasing the volume or screen brightness.

Power switch: Slide the power switch on the back edge of the keyboard to turn it on (green is visible) or off.

Brightness keys (F1, F2): Press or to increase or decrease the brightness of the screen.

Mission Control key (F3): Press to view what’s running on your iMac, including all your spaces and open windows.

Launchpad key (F4): Press to instantly see all the apps on your iMac. Click an app to open it.

Media keys (F7, F8, F9): Press to rewind, to play or pause, or to fast-forward a song, movie, or slideshow.

Volume keys (F11, F12): Press or to increase or decrease the volume of sound from the built-in speakers or 3.5 mm Headphone Jack.

Function (Fn) key: Each function key (on the top row) can also perform other functions—for example, the F12 key can open Dashboard. Hold down the Fn key while you press a function key to trigger the action associated with the key.

Set keyboard preferences. Use the Keyboard pane of System Preferences (choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click the buttons at the top to see the available options).

Mouse

Here are some common gestures you can use with your Magic Mouse 2.

Gesture

Action

Turn on/off: Slide the power switch on the bottom of the mouse to turn it on (green is visible).

Click: Press anywhere on the mouse surface to click or double-click.

Secondary click: Press the left or right side of the mouse to perform a “secondary click.” To turn on Secondary Click, use the Mouse pane of System Preferences.

360º scroll: Brush one finger along the surface to scroll or pan in any direction.

Smart zoom: Hold down the Control key and scroll with one finger to enlarge items on your screen.

Two-finger swipe: Swipe left and right to move through pages, photos, and more.

Customize your gestures. To set preferences and enable gestures, choose Apple menu > System Preferences (or click the System Preferences icon in the Dock), click Mouse, then click the buttons at the top to see the available options.

Charge the batteries

Charge the battery. Connect your Magic Keyboard or Magic Mouse 2 to your iMac with the included Lightning to USB cable. To check the charge level, click in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then choose your device.

Tip: To charge the battery faster, be sure your input device is turned on when you connect it to your iMac.

Use a Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter to connect the display to the Thunderbolt 2 port on your iMac.

DVI display or projector

Use a Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter to connect the display to the Thunderbolt 2 port on your iMac.

HDMI display or HDTV

Use a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable to connect the HDMI display or HDTV to the Thunderbolt 2 port on your iMac.

If you have an HDTV connected to an Apple TV, you can also use AirPlay to mirror your iMac screen in up to 1080p HD. See AirPlay for details.

Adapters and other accessories are sold separately at apple.com or your local Apple Store. Review the documentation or check with the manufacturer to make sure you choose the right adapter.

Set up

The first time you turn on your iMac, Setup Assistant walks you through the simple steps needed to start using your new iMac. If you want to transfer your data from another computer, see Migrate your data for details.

Be sure to connect to Wi-Fi, turn on Bluetooth® wireless technology, get an Apple ID, then sign in to iCloud. You can also activate Siri if you want. You can do these steps quickly and easily with Setup Assistant—but if you want to do them later, here’s how:

Connect to Wi-Fi. Click the Wi-Fi status icon in the menu bar, then choose a Wi-Fi network and enter the password, if necessary.

Turn Wi-Fi on or off. Click the Wi-Fi status icon in the menu bar, then choose Turn Wi-Fi On or Turn Wi-Fi Off.

Turn Bluetooth on or off. Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then choose Turn Bluetooth On or Turn Bluetooth Off.

Tip: If you don’t see the Wi-Fi status icon or Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, you can add them. For Wi-Fi, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Network. Click Wi-Fi in the list on the left, then select “Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar.” For Bluetooth, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Bluetooth, then select “Show Bluetooth in menu bar.”

Get an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the account you use for everything you do with Apple—including using the App Store, the iTunes Store, iCloud, iMessage, and more. Your Apple ID consists of an email address and a password. You need only one Apple ID to use any Apple service, on any device—whether it’s your computer, iOS device, or Apple Watch. It’s best to have your own Apple ID and not share it—create separate Apple IDs for each family member.

Important: If you forget your Apple ID password, you don’t need to create a new Apple ID. Just click the Forgot link in the login window to retrieve your password.

Set up iCloud on your iMac. With iCloud, you can store all of your content—documents, movies, music, photos, and more—in the cloud, and access it anywhere you go.

To set up iCloud, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud. In the window that appears, enter your Apple ID and password. Then select the features you want to use. To find out more, see Access your content anywhere with iCloud.

Important: Be sure to use the same Apple ID for iCloud on all your devices.

For information about setting up and using Siri on your iMac, see Siri.

The desktop

The first thing you see on your iMac is the desktop, where you can quickly open apps, search for anything on your iMac and the web, organize your files, and more.

Tip: Can’t find the pointer? To magnify it temporarily, slide the mouse back and forth quickly.

Finder

The Finder is an app that’s always open. Use the Finder to organize and locate your files.

Open a Finder window. Click the Finder icon in the Dock, at the bottom of the screen.

The Dock

The Dock, at the bottom of the screen, is a convenient place to keep the apps and documents you use frequently. You can make the Dock larger or smaller, add or remove items, move it to the left or right side of your screen, or even set it to hide when you’re not using it.

Open an app or file. Click its icon in the Dock.

Add an item to the Dock. Drag the item and drop it where you want it. Place apps to the left of the line in the Dock, and files or folders to the right.

Remove an item from the Dock. Drag it out of the Dock. The item isn’t removed from your iMac—just from the Dock.

System Preferences

System Preferences is where you personalize your iMac settings. For example, use Energy Saver preferences to change sleep settings. Or use Desktop & Screen Saver preferences to add a desktop background or choose a screen saver.

Customize your iMac. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, or click the System Preferences icon in the Dock. Then click the preference you want to set.

Menu bar

Use the menus and icons along the top of the screen to open new windows, connect to a Wi-Fi network, check your Wi-Fi status , change the volume , query Siri, and more. The menu items change, depending on which app you’re using.

When you search with Spotlight, the preview area on the right provides search results you can interact with—make a call, send an email message, play a song, get directions, even convert currencies. Spotlight can provide answers to math questions or define words, all on your desktop.

Search for anything. Click at the top right of the screen, then start typing.

Tip: Type Command–Space bar to show or hide the Spotlight search field.

Preview your results. Click a search result and view it in the preview on the right. Sometimes that’s all you need to do—click items or links directly in the preview. You can also double-click a result to open it.

Open an app. Type the app name in Spotlight, then press Return.

Turn off Spotlight Suggestions. If you want Spotlight to search only for items on your iMac, you can turn off Spotlight Suggestions in Spotlight preferences. Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click Spotlight, then click to deselect Spotlight Suggestions. Make any other changes you want to the list of categories Spotlight searches.

Note: Not all features of Spotlight Suggestions are available in all languages or regions, and some features may vary by region.

Siri

Now you can talk to Siri on your iMac, just as you do on your iOS devices and Apple Watch, and use your voice for many tasks. For example, you can find files, schedule meetings, change preferences, get answers, send messages, place calls, and add items to your calendar. Siri can give you directions (“How do I get home from here?”), information (“How high is Mount Whitney?”), perform basic tasks (“Create a new list called Groceries”), and much more.

Note: Siri may not be available in all languages or in all areas, and features may vary by area.

Enable Siri. Click the Siri icon in the menu bar or in the Dock, then click Enable when prompted. Or click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click Siri, then select Enable Siri. You can also set other options, such as Language.

Note: To use Siri, your iMac must be connected to the Internet.

When you first open Siri on your Mac, you’ll see a list of suggestions about how to use Siri to save time and typing.

Speak to Siri. Click Siri in the menu bar or the Dock and start speaking. Or press and hold the Command key and the Space bar and speak to Siri.

Find and open files. Ask Siri to find files and open them right from the Siri window. You can ask by file name, by tags, or by description. For example, “Search for files Ursula sent last week,” or “Open the spreadsheet I created last night.”

Drag and drop. Drag and drop images and locations from the Siri window into an email, text message, or document. You can also copy and paste text.

Pin a result. Save Siri results from Sports, Reminders, Clock, Stocks, Notes, Finder, and general knowledge (Wikipedia, for example) to the Today view in Notifications. Click the plus sign in the top right of a Siri result to pin it to the Today View. To see it later, click the Notification Center icon , then click Today. If you’re checking a sports score, for example, results stay up to date.

Adjust the volume. Use the volume buttons on your keyboard to increase or decrease the volume while you’re interacting with Siri.

Change the voice. Click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click Siri, then choose an option from the Siri Voice menu.

You’ll find suggestions for things you can ask Siri throughout this guide—they look like this:

Ask Siri. Say something like:

“Open the Keynote presentation I was working on last night.”

“What time is it in Paris?”

“What kinds of things can I ask you?”

Notification Center

Use Notification Center to view details about your day (calendar, stocks, weather, and more) and catch up on notifications you might have missed (email, reminders, app notifications, and more).

Open Notification Center. Click the Notification Center icon at the top right of the screen. Tap Today to see what’s coming up or Notifications to review what’s come in.

Help

Help for your iMac and apps is always available.

Get help. Click the Finder icon , then click the Help menu and choose Mac Help. Or type in the search field and choose a suggestion.

Unlock your iMac with Apple Watch

Use your authenticated Apple Watch to automatically unlock and wake your sleeping iMac when you’re within about three meters of your computer. Just wake your Mac and start using it—no need to enter a password. Auto Unlock uses strong encryption to provide secure communication between your Apple Watch and iMac.

Set up two-factor authentication for your Apple ID. Auto Unlock works when your Apple ID has two-factor authentication turned on. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Account Details, click Security, then select Set Up Two-Factor Authentication. For more information, see the Apple Support article Two-factor authentication for Apple ID.

Make sure “Disable automatic login” is also selected. (You won’t see this option if you’re using FileVault, but you can still use the Auto Unlock feature.)

Set up Auto Unlock. Sign in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all your devices, then click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, or choose Apple menu > System Preferences. Click Security & Privacy, then select “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.”

Note: Auto Unlock works only when your Apple Watch is authenticated. You authenticate your Apple Watch each time you put it on, so no extra steps are required after you enter your passcode.

Skip the sign-in. Walk up to your sleeping iMac wearing your authenticated Apple Watch on your wrist, and press a key to wake your Mac. Apple Watch unlocks your Mac so you can get right to work.

Quickly open apps

Your iMac comes with apps for all the things you love to do—browse the web, check email, share photos, enjoy movies, and more.

Open an app. Click an app icon in the Dock, or click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, then click the app you want. You can also search for an app using Spotlight, then open the app directly from your Spotlight search results.

Ask Siri. Say something like: “Open Calculator.”

Organize apps in Launchpad. Launchpad organizes your apps in a grid. Drag an app to a new location to rearrange apps. Drag an app onto another app to create a folder. Drag more apps to the new folder to add them. To remove an app from a folder, drag it out.

Get more apps. Click the App Store icon in the Dock and search for apps you want. Apps you download from the App Store appear automatically in Launchpad. To quickly get updates for apps and macOS, click Updates in the App Store.

Multitask on your desktop

The Tabs feature is available in most apps that support multiple windows, such as Pages, Numbers, Maps, and more. And while you’re browsing multiple tabs, you can watch a video using Picture in Picture.

Note: Picture in Picture is not available in all regions.

Browse content with tabs. Open multiple tabs in an app to compare content—for example, Numbers spreadsheets or Pages documents. Or copy and paste content from one tab to another. Tabs also work with third-party apps.

To set tab preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Dock. Choose an option for “Prefer tabs when opening documents.”

Watch while you work. Click the Picture in Picture button in a Safari or iTunes video. You can drag it to any corner of your desktop. Your video stays put while you switch between apps and spaces.

Access your content anywhere with iCloud

iCloud is the easiest way to make sure all your important content is everywhere you are. iCloud stores your documents, photos, music, apps, contacts, and calendars, so you can access them any time you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

An iCloud account is free, and it comes with 5 GB of free storage space. Purchases you make from the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store don’t count toward your available space.

iCloud also keeps everything up to date on your devices. So if you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, just sign in to iCloud using the same account and you’ll have everything you need.

Here are some of the things you can do with iCloud.

Automatically store your desktop and Documents folder in iCloud Drive. Save files in your Documents folder or on your desktop, and they’re automatically available on iCloud Drive and accessible wherever you are. Working with iCloud Drive, you have access to files on your iPhone or iPad in the iCloud Drive app, on the web at iCloud.com, or on a Windows PC in the iCloud app. When you change your file in iCloud Drive, you’ll see your edits wherever you view the file.

Share purchases with Family Sharing. Up to six members of your family can share their purchases from the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store—even if they use different iCloud accounts. Pay for family purchases with one credit card, and approve kids’ spending right from your iMac or iOS device. Plus, share photos, a family calendar, reminders, and locations. To set up Family Sharing if you didn’t when you set up your Mac, click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click iCloud, then click Set Up Family.

Share photos using iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Photo Sharing. Store your photo library in iCloud and see your photos and videos on all your devices. Share photos and videos with only the people you choose, and let them add their own photos, videos, and comments. To get started, click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click iCloud, select Photos, then click Options.

Enjoy your purchases anywhere. When you’re signed in to iCloud, purchases you’ve made from the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store are available at any time, no matter which computer or device you used to purchase them. So all your music, movies, books, and more are available wherever you go.

Locate your iMac with Find My Mac. If your iMac is stolen, you can easily locate it on a map, lock its screen, or even erase its data remotely if you have Find My Mac turned on. To turn on Find My Mac, click the System Preferences icon in the Dock, click iCloud, then click Find My Mac.

For more information about what you can do with iCloud, go to Mac Help (see Mac Help) and search for “iCloud,” or go to iCloud.

Mac Help

Mac Help has a lot more information about how to use your iMac.

Get help. Click the Finder icon in the Dock, then click the Help menu in the menu bar and choose Mac Help. Or type a question or term in the search field, then choose a topic from the results list.

Explore topics. To find a topic in Mac Help, you can browse or search. To browse, click “Show topics” to see the list of topics, then click a topic to read it. Or type what you want to find in the search field to go right to your answer.

Find out what’s new. Click the Help menu, then choose What’s New in macOS to find out more about the latest features of macOS.

Tip: If you can’t remember the location of a menu item in an app, search for it in Help. Place the pointer over the result, and an arrow shows you the command.

Save space on your iMac

macOS Sierra frees up space on your iMac and helps you save space as you work. You can set options to free up even more space on your iMac.

Optimize storage. Set options in the Recommendations pane. Go to Apple menu > About This Mac, click Storage, then click Details. When your Mac is low on storage, you’ll see an alert that will open the Recommendations pane.

Set options to:

Optimize iCloud Storage:

Store files in iCloud, where they stay secure and available. You can turn on iCloud Drive to store files on your desktop and in your Documents folder in iCloud.

Turn on iCloud Photo Library to store items from the Photos app in iCloud.

macOS Sierra also prevents you from downloading the same file twice from Safari, alerts you to remove installer software when you finish installing a new app, clears logs and caches that are safe to remove when you’re low on storage, and more, to help you save space as you work.